I'm Still Here
by Outstanding Outsiders
Summary: Sequal to God Bless This Broken Road. Someone comes back. Someone dies. and someone is born. But, who? Where? When? Why? R&R! Rating subject to change.
1. Chapter 1

I'm Still Here

A/N: this is my sequel. I know that it has taken me a while. But I hope you enjoy. This is the prologue. It is very vague but I will explain it later. I think it is cool. Please don't flame me for parts that you dislike. I would love to hear from all of you, and constructive criticism is appreciative, but please be nice.

Prologue

The small slim woman walked to the door of her house, she looked over her shoulder, why was he fallowing her? What did he want? She had to get away from him. She slammed the door, and ran up the stairs. She was already sweating, but it was so cold in the house. She stopped and listened, he was gone, she began to relax and undress for bed, her husband would not be home for many days. She smiled to herself thinking that she was stupid for thinking he was here, after all he was dead. Right, she thought he was dead. He had to be, she got a letter after he had died. She lifted the covers of her rose patterned sheets and sat down. When she looked up to blow the candle out, he was standing there! She screamed.

"What do you want?" she asked.

"I want her." He said.

"I don't have her. I thought you were dead!" She screamed at him.

"Well obviously I am not. Where is she?" he asked again, this time more insistent.

"I got a letter! I don't know where she is! Leave her alone! She is gone." She hoped that would deter him, but she knew it was stupid to think that it would.

He walked toward her, and rested his hand on her shoulder. She became stiff at his strange touch.

"I will find her, and you know that I will. It would be wise of you to tell me were my daughter is!" He screamed at her and slapped her.

She was stunned at this. She didn't think that he would be so violent.

"I told you, I don't know where she is! I haven't seen her in two years!"

"Fine, I will go and find her on my own. I want to see my daughter!" he hissed and walked out of the room.

She was shaken to no end. She couldn't take living while he was alive. She had thought all these years that he was dead. She tied her long brown curly hair back and took some pills that she had in the cupboard. She hoped they would make her forget. The more that she took, the more she forgot, until the whole bottle was gone. She lay down and went to sleep, she was calm, and relaxed, but she never woke up.

Her husband came home and found her dead on their bed. He sent for the priest. Oddly enough, he was not sad; he felt a strange relief that she was gone. He didn't believe her note; he thought she had just gone crazy. He read it again for the thousandth time.

My dearest,

He is still alive. He came back to me tonight; I can't live while he does. He wants her. I am sorry,

Christine.

A/N: so? What do we all think? Vague yes, but remember I will explain. Though I am sure some of you get the prologue. R&R! Please!


	2. He Came

A/N: So here is the second chapter. I hope that I didn't give too much away in the first chapter. I hope that everyone likes it.

Charter Mage Z- The phantom didn't quiet kill her, her mental state just kinda failed. But I had to kill her cause I made her so evil already killing her in such a away seemed fun and put an interesting twist to the story. Lol.

Crystal Light- I'm glad that you like it. Christine is such a pill popper, and I will explain it later. Raoul is going to tell you that later. Lol.

Ch 1. He came

Aric woke up next to his stunningly beautiful wife. She was still asleep. Her hair was messy and covering her face, but he could see it move every time she took a breath. He laughed to himself and moved it. Her face was so perfect. He had woken up to this face everyday for the last two years. Christian and Michael still lived with them; they couldn't afford a house anymore. This opera house paid a little less than the old one did. But none of them were willing to go back to France. Emma and Aric offered to help them get a house, but they graciously refused.

Aric got out of bed and went to take a shower. He let the hot water run over his tan body. Yet another day, yet another day of work. He felt arms wrap themselves around his waist. He turned around and smiled at Emma. She gently kissed him and he kissed her back. He looked down at her and smiled.

"What is it Aric?" Emma asked.

"Every day when I wake up, your right there, right next to me. I am still amazed that you are here." He confessed.

"Where would I go? Back to Jonathan? Back to my father and step mother?" she asked.

"I don't know. Your still with me, you agreed to marry me, even after I did all that stuff to you." He said.

"Aric, what is there to think about? Yeah, you did that to me, but I don't know, I just don't care anymore. Your too cute." She said kissing his wet nose.

Emma hugged Aric. His wet body against hers. His muscles flexed against her as he moved. Her body shook under his touch. He was her angel. They got out of the shower and got dressed. Emma could smell something cooking downstairs. She ran to see what it was but Michael stopped her before she could see what it was.

"You can't go in there." He smiled.

"Michael this is my house. I want to go into my kitchen. What is Christian doing in there that I can't see!" she demanded.

"You want to know? Then you will just have to wait until he is done. I am under strict orders from him, to keep you out. Morning Aric." Michael said.

Aric nodded and went into the kitchen.

"What! He gets to go in but I can't? What in the Hell is going on?" Emma was mad.

"I told you, you have to wait Emma." Michael said.

Emma went to sit on the couch and pouted. Aric walked out of the kitchen with a plate for Emma.

"Here Emma, breakfast." He said kissing her cheek.

She grabbed the collar of his shirt.

"What is going on in there?" She hissed.

"Honestly Emma, I don't know. When I went in there Christian attacked me and put me face against the wall facing the door. He gave me this and kicked me out. All I know is that he is cooking in there." He whispered to Emma.

"You know something? It really sucks living with three men." She said.

Aric laughed and kissed her goodbye and went to work.

"You know Emma, you don't live with three men, there is another woman here." Michael laughed behind his book.

"Fanny doesn't live here genius. Neither does the butler." Emma sneered at him, making him laugh even more.

Emma sat on the couch almost all day Christian came in and out all day. Finally Aric came home. Emma ran to the door to greet him.

"I am so bored; they have kept me out of the kitchen all day. I can't even go to the bathroom with out Michael fallowing me and standing outside the door." Emma complained.

"I am sure that we will find out what is going on soon." Aric reassured her.

"That's not our carriage is it?" Emma asked pointing out the window.

"No, it's not. Stay here." Aric said.

Aric waited until he heard a knock on the door and then opened it.

"May I help you?" He asked.

"I do hope so. I have traveled very far, I am looking for someone. Does Emma De Chagny live here?" He asked

Aric looked at the man carefully. He wasn't sure what it was about this man, but he didn't like it. The man looked round Aric into the house and saw Emma. He pushed Aric aside and walked into the house.

"Emma! I am so glad to have finally found you." He said hugging Emma.

"I'm sorry monsieur, but I don't think that I know you. Though you do look oddly familiar." Emma told him pushing him away.

"Emma, my darling. It's true I guess you would not know me. But I am Erik. I am the phantom of the opera." He explained.

"Oh My God! I don't understand your dead."

"That's what your mother said."

"You saw my mother before she died?" Emma asked.

"I guess that's one less thing I have to tell you."

"Why are you here?" Emma asked.

"Emma, I think we need to sit down when I tell you this." He sighed.

Emma nodded and led him to the living room where Michael was still sitting reading. He looked up when Emma walked in with the phantom.

"Oh, I was unaware that we were having a guest tonight." He said.

"So were we." Aric whispered to him.

Emma pointed to a chair right across from the couch where she and Aric sat together.

"My darling Emma. It has been way too long since I have last seen you. You see Emma, how do I explain this?" he put his head in his hands.

"Erik, how do you know me?" she asked.

"I am your father, Emma."

"Excuse me? But my father was Raoul de Chagny." Emma said.

"No, I am your father. You were born before your mother left me. She hated me for everything. I faked my own death to make her happy. But I knew I couldn't ignore you my whole life." Erik tried to explain. Emma had a blank look on her face. "Didn't you think that it was weird that you had some of the phantom in you, when you weren't even related to me?"

"Well, yeah, I guess. How do you know all this?" Emma asked him.

"Before I came here I talked with Madame Giry." He said.

"Well, at least that explains why my mom hated me so much." Emma said sadly.

"She hated you? For being like me?"

Emma just nodded.

"Oh my god." He said. "Who is this young man?"

"Erik, this is my husband, Aric." She said smiling a bit to herself.

"You're married? I guess I did miss a lot in the past years."

Emma began to explain the past few years. About how she met Aric, and how he wanted to be like the phantom, what he did to Emma. That made Erik mad but he stayed quiet the whole time. She told him about how they fell in love and how her parents arranged her to marry Jonathan, and Aric running away, Christian and Michael going after him, how she almost married Jonathan, and how Aric tied him up in his room in the church and took his place, how Christine, dragged her out of the church and Emma stabbed Jonathan and Aric coming to save her and all of them running away to Italy, were they have lived the past two years.

Erik was silent after they finished telling the story. He started to laugh after a while.

"What is so funny?" Aric asked.

"Everything. You her, me." He said between laughs.

Emma got down on the floor on her knees in front of the phantom. He stopped laughing and looked at her. She cupped his face in her hands. She looked deep into his eyes. Aric looked questioningly at his wife. Emma ran her finger tips along his black mask. She was curious to see the man who claimed to be her father. Erik knew what was coming and he closed his eyes to prepare himself.

Emma grasped the mask and pulled it off throwing it on the floor next to her, exposing the marred skin on the right side of his face. She coked her head, and cupped his face again. She looked him over again.

"Open your eyes." She told him. And he did it.

"What do you see?" He asked.

"Why do you wear the mask?" she asked.

"Because, some people can't stand to look at me." He explained.

"Will you not wear it when you're with me?" She asked him.

"Anything for my daughter." He whispered letting a few tears escape.

Emma wiped them away with her thumbs and smiled. Erik smiled back and cupped her face too. They hugged each other tightly.

"I am so glad that you came to find me father." Emma said into his shoulder.

This made Erik smile and hug her harder. When they let go Emma turned back to Aric and held on to him for a long time.

"I am sorry this probably wasn't the best time to come. I see your having a party. I should go." The phantom said picking up his mask and sliding it over his face.

"Actually, I think you should stay. I have no idea what those two are up to, but I am sure that they wouldn't mind if you stayed." Aric said over his wife's shoulder. "Are you ok Emma?"

She nodded. Aric kissed her forehead and went to talk to Michael and Christian.

"Take it off"

He sighed and slipped the mask off handing it to his daughter. She put it on the mantel next to Aric's old white one.

"That is my mask. Why do you have it? Don't tell me he wore it when he lured you into the caves of the opera house!" Erik was a little irritated but kind of proud at the same time.

Emma laughed and nodded her head.

"Yes he did, and I can imagine he looked just like you when he did. It was wonderful and terrifying at the same time. When he realized he loved me too much to trap me down there he let me go. And then he came to apologize and then we all found out about Jonathan." Emma said.

"I can tell you wouldn't let him wear it either. Though I don't think that he needed it." Erik laughed "Emma, I'm sorry to have sprung this on you. I know it's been twenty years. I hope you can forgive me."

Emma looked up at the Phantom as he sat in front of her. She ran her hand over the deformed skin, he gently closed his eyes. She ran her hand over the perfect side, and traced her thumb over his lips.

"No, I am glad you came. I just wish you had tried years ago." She said after a while.

"Would you have accepted the truth then?" he asked her now staring her in the eyes.

"I would have accepted anything that was different from them, anything that could explain why mom hated me so much. Anything that could help me." Emma confessed.

"I can't forgive what your mother did. But Raoul is still here. I know this hurt him too."

"Some how I don't think that he is hurting too bad. He remarried almost right after my mother died." Emma told him.

"Really? Who did he marry?"

"Madame Giry." Emma said getting up from the chair she was in.

"But I thought that she passed over thirty years ago."

"No, he married Meg Giry."

"Hey you two, would you like to come and have some dinner?" Christian called from the table.

They smiled and walked over to the table and sat down.

"Christian, are you ever going to tell me what is going on? You have been driving me insane all day!" Emma pleaded.

"Yes I will tell you when Aric comes to the table." Christian told her.

Finally Aric did come. He introduced the phantom to Michael and Christian. Though he did leave a big detail about there relationship out.

"Ok. I think if I wait any longer Emma will burst. Two years ago today, Emma and Aric were married, though they could not enjoy it at first, they got a away together and now live happily, but I guess now we have a new addition to there happy family. Happy anniversary!" Christian toasted to them.

Everyone ate and laughed and told there stories. After they ate Erik read to everyone. Emma soon fell asleep against Aric's shoulder. He fell asleep too soon after, laying his head on Emma's. Erik stopped when he saw them. Christian and Michael got up and went to bed. Erik went to pick Emma up and carried her upstairs but he had no idea where her room was. Luckily Aric walked up just then, and led him to their room. The Phantom lay her down and made to leave the room.

"Why don't you stay with us a while?" Aric whispered hoping not to wake his wife.

"Oh no I couldn't do that. I have been here long enough I think." He replied.

"You know that it would mean a lot to Emma. She went through a lot, two years ago. She needs you the most right now." Aric said.

"I have a lot to think over right now. Tell Emma that I will come back soon." The Phantom told Aric and went down the stairs to get his mask. He looked into the mirror that was placed above the mantle. His hand went to the disfigured part of his face. He didn't understand why Emma was so accepting of him. Quite frankly he didn't care right now, he was just glad she was. She was nothing like her mother, accept her looks. She was kind of like Raoul too, but he guessed that was just from living with him for so long. He was just happy that he had finally met her. Memories of her flashed back into his head.

_Erik heard the baby cry from the bed room. He ran to her to make her stop, he hated it when Emma cried. He looked down into her crib and she stopped when she saw him. She reached her arms up to be picked up. Just then Christine walked into the room. She came and took the baby away from Erik making her cry again._

_"Christine, what are you doing?" He asked._

_"Holding my baby." She snapped at him_

_"She was fine before you came in and took her away from me." Erik snapped back._

_"Shut up! You have no idea what you are talking about. I can't take this anymore! Emma and I are leaving! And don't you dare fallow us." Christine yelled._

_"Christine, what is wrong with you!" _

_"You! You have done nothing to me but make my life miserable!" she screamed._

_"Christine what are you talking about! I don't understand. Please talk to me." _

_"You took my life from me, you couldn't let me be with Raoul, and you had to have me all to yourself didn't you! Didn't you?" she asked him._

_"Christine, you wanted to stay with me, you asked to sleep with me. It's not my fault. You didn't have to stay. You could have left, you can still leave. But I beg you; please do not keep my daughter from me." He pleaded._

Erik shook his head, he couldn't think about it anymore. Aric came into the room just then to say goodbye.

"Actually I think that I will stay for a while."

A/N: soooo? Sad yes I know, but I think its rather good. The nice plot twist. I hope you guys read more.


	3. There's nothing good bout goodbye

A/N: So, ch2. I know it took me a long time to get it up, but school and such are incredibly insane in the beginning of the year. Anyway, there is a big surprise at the end of the chapter. I hope that you guys like it.

Crystal Light- Awww, you make me blush lol. I know that you'll like this chapter, since you helped me write it. Lol. You are very naughty Emma. Lol. Enjoy.

hisdarkprincess- That's ok, things happen but I do await the sequel, and I am glad that you like it!

Ch 2. There's nothing good about goodbye

The days after Erik had arrived to meet his long lost daughter were in a word "sublime".

One night after a week of visiting with Emma, Erik found himself unable to sleep. He never did like to sleep at night. He heard voices downstairs and went down to see what they were. As he quietly snuck into the living room the see who was a wake to be talking he saw Emma sitting on the couch and Aric facing away from her by the fire place.

"… You to go." He seemed angry.

"But Aric, I want to go." Emma said sternly. She wasn't going to let him win this one.

"Then let me come with you. I don't want you to get hurt." He slowly turned to her.

"No! I need to do this on my own." Emma snapped at him.

"Emma, please listen to me. I almost lost you too many times, if I loose you this time… I… I don't know what I will do, but I can promise you this. If you get killed, I swear I won't live without you." Aric said pulling her to stand near him.

"Don't you EVER say that! I don't ever want you thinking like that. I can't bear to think of you doing that." She was crying now, Erik could see that. He still didn't know what they were arguing about, but he could see how much they loved each other.

"Please, Emma…" Aric was crying now too. He pulled her into him and held her tight. He was, for some reason afraid of loosing her.

"Are you guys arguing about his again!" Christian came down the stairs with a lit candle.

"Sorry. We didn't mean to wake you up, again."

"Well since I am up, why don't we solve this now?" He was mad. "That way you guys can go to bed and no argue like this anymore. I'm surprised that you guys get any sleep at all."

He plopped himself into the chair in front of them.

"Sit." He commanded them. They both sat together on the couch across from him. "So, Emma wants to go and see Raoul, and you don't want her to?"

"No, I want her to do what she feels she needs to do, but I don't want her going alone." Aric corrected him.

Christian sighed, and leaned forward resting his chin on his fingers. His tired eyes closed.

Erik finally realized what they were talking about.

"Why do you want to go back Emma?" Christian asked.

"I just need to see my father one last time." She said.

"But you could get hurt!" Aric snapped at her.

"Shh! don't wake everyone up!" Christian snapped back.

"I don't care who hears me!"

"Aric, listen to me! It's just my father, my mother is dead, and he won't hurt me." She tried to explain.

"But Jonathan is still out there! I refuse to take the chance that he could come back!" Aric yelled.

"I don't see that happening, besides she just wants to say goodbye. She'd be back in a few weeks. I think she should go." Christian said.

"NO! NO! NO! I won't let you! Not yet!" Aric screamed.

"Then we will wait a week or two, and then she can go. Alone." Christian said finally. "Well since it is almost morning I am going to start breakfast early."

He left for the kitchen. Aric was fuming. Emma was afraid to say anything; she didn't want to set him off anymore. He had his head down on the mantle above the fireplace and was just staring into it. Emma got up and went to the fireplace. She gently placed her hand on his shoulder. He shrugged her hand off and ran out of the house.

Emma sat down on the couch again, still in shock from what had happened. Erik decided that it was time to come out of the shadows. Emma heard him move and quickly turned around. She turned away from him as soon as she saw him. He slowly came to sit next to her.

She just stared a head, no looking at anything, all the sudden she threw herself at Erik. She began to cry. She cried into his chest. He wrapped his arms around her tightly and let her cry. Finally her hysterical sobs slowed and her breathing became normal again.

"I'm sorry." She whispered not trusting her voice not to crack. "That you had to hear that. "

Erik took in breath; he hadn't realized that she had known that he was there.

"If you don't mind me asking Emma, but why do you want to go alone?"

"Aric and my father or Raoul rather, don't get a long. It would be disastrous. Especially if Jonathan was still around." Emma whispered.

Erik silently remembered what Emma had told him about Jonathan.

Emma was exhausted form arguing all night. She soon fell asleep with Erik, he liked sleeping during that day too, so he to, soon fell asleep.

"I hate it when they argue like this, nobody eats anything I make." Christian fumed.

"Don't worry; you know that they never fight long. They'll be ok soon." Michael said softly gently kissing Christian on the cheek before helping himself to what was on the counter.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Aric dreaded the weeks as they passed. He and Emma never got over it quite as well as they had in the past. Emma was in their room finishing packing when Aric came in and shut and locked the door.

"Please, Emma, I am begging you, I am on my knees. Don't go." He hopelessly begged again.

"Aric, I can't. I have to say goodbye. You know that." Her eyes filled with tears again for the tenth time that day.

"Emma, I am scared." He confided in her.

"Why would you be scared?" She fought to keep the tears in her eyes and not let Aric see that she was scared too.

"I know that Jonathan is still out there. And I can't risk loosing you… or our baby." He pulled her to face him.

A/N: sooooooo! Yes exciting I know, and clique, but I don't care I like it. Yes Crystal light I know that you liked it, but I would still love to hear form everyone!


	4. A Change of Mind

A/N: I'm sorry that it has taken me so long to post again, I am an absolute retard and forgot my own password! and its not even that exciting of a chapter. Trust me. I wrote it. But a lot of bad things have happened recently, w/out naming names coughMATTTREVARcough stupid boys. Anyway, the next chapter will be much better I swear!

Nerdalicious: You ruined the plot twist!! Ahhaa! Oh well. w/e. you still don't know anything about that. Lol. I am glad that you like this.

Charter Mage Z: Yes, they could hide in the rafters in the sky! Lol. I know what you meant. Well. Read!

hisdarkprincess: oh I can't wait for you know what!! I'm glad that everyone likes this story. I hope that the next chapter is more exciting than this. Going through some hard times, and a lot of writers block. It really sucked.

Ch 3. A change of mind

Aric wasn't home when Emma had to leave, she had waited for him all day and he never came. She knew that he was mad, but he had never been this mad before.

As she went out the door to finish putting her things in the carriage, he walked up.

"Were have you been?!"

"Oh, I thought you would have left already." Aric said with venom in his voice that she had never heard before.

"Aric…" she stopped.

"What?! What do you want now?" He snapped without turning around from the steps.

She didn't say anything and just turned to leave, he was hopeless. She had no idea what she could say or do to make him understand the reasoning behind what she wanted to do. She never told him that her father had sent her a letter asking her to come.

She opened the doors to get in and was almost in when she was roughly pulled back out. She never had the time to see who her captor was because his lips came down to hers way too fast. Emma looked into Aric's red tearful eyes and she broke down in his arms.

"Aric… I am so scared." She confessed finally to him.

She felt his sobs against her. His body shook like crazy.

The sky had just then let loose the rain like the tears of sorrow for the two lost lovers. The rain began to pour and the thunder rolled. But they held strong to each other. The coach men called out something inaudible to them. Even when the coachmen pulled away, they did not move.

Aric lifted Emma into his arms and carried her into the house and up the stairs into their bedroom. They helped each other remove their soaking wet clothes. Aric just put on some pants and Emma put a gown on and they huddled together for warmth. They didn't say anything for quite some time.

"Emma…" Aric started but Emma stopped him.

"Shhhhhh. You're going to ruin the moment." She said.

"What moment? There wasn't any moment." He replied.

"I know, but I didn't want to talk about it." She drifted off as the smile disappeared from her face.

"Emma, you know that we have to some time."

Emma rolled over and picked up a piece of paper from her wet clothes and handed it to Aric. He gently opened the wet tattered paper and carefully read what it said. He didn't say anything as he folded that paper back up and put it on the table next to his bed.

"Emma, why didn't you just tell me this from the beginning?" he asked.

"Would you have let me go?"

"Hell no! I'm still not letting you go on your own! I am coming with you, whether I come with you or I fallow you. I am not ever letting you go. I can't take that risk again, whether or not Jonathan is still here or not." Aric explained.

Emma laughed and moved closer to Aric.

"I knew you would. I am glad though. I knew I couldn't do this without you. But what about the letter? And my dad, err, Raoul." Emma smiled, remembering.

"Let me handle that part."

A knock at the door broke them apart. Erik came in.

"Oh! I'm sorry; we all thought that you had left Emma. Was I interrupting anything?" he said with a smirk on his face.

"NO! No, nothing. We were just talking." Emma said quickly.

"And, Aric is now going with you, back to France?" he asked them. "If you wouldn't mind my coming back with you, I would like to visit the opera house once again. I miss it terribly, I didn't stay over my last visit long enough to see them again."

"Oh I would love that; I would like to see the caves again!" Emma squeaked.

"I don't want to see them ever again. Too many bad memories." Aric said to the side.

"What are you talking about?" Emma was shocked that he had said that.

"It was before we met, it was fine after that, but before. I just don't want to remember." He finished.

"What happened Aric?" Emma wanted to know.

"I told you, I don't want to remember. Please do not make me remember, ever."

A/N: ok, so this chapter is short and stupid, but I needed something to set up for whats gonna happen next! R&R! please!


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